Scotland! October 2023

[Becke]

Hiya everyone!  Thought I should drop in and give my review for the trip I went on in Scotland with Heatherlea.  I flew in just for this trip as I couldn't leave home for long.  October 5-15th.  I signed up for the Highland Birding adventure with Aberdeen as the included side trip.

Lucky me, there were only two of us on this trip!  The other gal was local and so insisted that I take the front seat for the whole week!  Our guide was fantastic!  I had an absolute blast, saw quite a bit of the beautiful highlands and coastlines and was very pleased to rack up 131 species with 86 lifers included!  I would definitely recommend Heatherlea.  The hotel is adorable, the food was fantastic and the people are wonderful!

If you'd like to see some bird pics, they are on my website... www.WeatheredFeather.com/Scotland  
I will try to figure out how to add a couple here, but it's been a while!    

This seems huge, but at any rate... this is an Eurasian Wren in a forest that was acres and acres of heather!  Just lovely!




Here's a Bar-tailed Godwit snuggling with an Eurasian Curlew!  I knocked quite a number of pesky shorebirds off my life list!  lol. Including seeing a Spotted Redshank being eaten by a Great Black-backed Gull!

[Chris]

Thanks for posting Becke. Enjoyed looking at the photos. Really like the Red Grouse ones.

The Godwit and Curlew photos show a good size comparison.

[Becke]

Thanks Chris! The folks there are hoping that the Red Grouse are granted their own standing apart from the Willow Ptarmigan sometime in the future. Apparently they are the same except that their Red Grouse do not change to white in the winter and they are hoping that that makes them distinct enough to be their own species someday.

[Dave]

Thanks for sharing, Becke! I really like the Reed Bunting shot. And the blue tit. Primo!

[Becke]

Thanks Dave! That Reed Bunting was on my last day. There was a beautiful grassland walk right beside the airport in Inverness, so I happily had a bit of last-minute birding.

[Gord]

Becke thanks for sharing! I enjoyed your photos a lot. The Grey Partridge peeking out of the stubble was a fun one; I didn't spot the third one right away. Great trip certainly one I'm looking to do.

[Becke]

Thanks Gord! Yes, there were so many Grey Partidges, Ring-necked pheasants, Red-legged Partidges (which look a lot like Chukar), Red Grouse, and Black Grouse... and we even searched for the elusive Capercaillie a couple times, but to no avail.